It’s hard to believe that superstar Rihanna is only 28 years old. For someone so young she’s still been able to handle herself in a way that highlights her core strengths. Here are some of our thoughts on Rihanna’s rules of entrepreneurship and why she’s been able to get to the top and stay there.
Originality
“The bottom line is that everyone thinks differently.”
“I take risks because I get bored. And I get bored very easily.”
Rihanna describes herself as someone who is easily bored, while we see here more as someone who needs to be original and keep evolving her music, style, creativity and business interests. Being consistently fresh and original is a core strength that will benefit any entrepreneur. If your brand becomes stale so will your business.
Courage
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what life brings to me.”
“Never a failure, always a lesson”
Being a young girl from Barbados and starting a career in the musical spotlight at the age of 15 takes guts. Then navigating a career to become the youngest solo artist to have an amazing 14 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 is just incredible. To be an entrepreneur takes courage (perhaps not as much as Rihanna has) and strong self-belief. When one is feeling less than brave, get inspiration from powerful role models such as Rihanna and Beyoncé.
Authenticity
“I’m crazy and I don’t pretend to be anything else.”
“The thing that’s kept me successful is being myself. I only know how to do that. And the minute you learn to love yourself you would not want to be anybody else.”
Rihanna is true to herself and her roots even though her style is constantly evolving. As Radhika Sanghani writes: “She embodies one of the most important acts of feminist: to be yourself and not feel you have to apologise for it.” Being true to yourself and your brand will help you make good business decisions along your entrepreneurial journey.
Collaboration
“I really enjoy watching, observing, and being able to figure out a person, the reason they wore that dress, the reason they smell the way they do.”
There’s no question that Rihanna is one of the most collaborative artists on stage today. She’s successfully teamed up with everyone from Britney Spears to Eminem, Drake to Coldplay and everyone in between. Likewise, in her business interests, she’s worked with many big names such as Manolo, Dior and Puma to help those brands regain some of their edge. Having such a strong core identity has enabled her to play the music and business arenas while still being true to herself; a great lesson for all entrepreneurs.
Different
“I think I can inspire a lot of young women to be themselves and that is half the battle.”
“I have flaws as well. I want them to know those flaws. I’m afraid of the pedestal. I want to be a peer to my fans.”
If you’re a Rihanna fan, this article from Music.Mic will make you love her even more. Part of her success has been in being able to hold on to her vulnerability, be original and, importantly, be different from her peers. This relates to an entrepreneurial business model as well, to be successful you need to have a product that differs from any other. For advice on how to stand out from the crowd, feel free to contact us.
Contact: Nokwazi Mzobe, Founder of Matoyana
Email: nokwazi@rocketpad.co.za
Matoyana is passionate about creating and supporting sustainable entrepreneurs on the African continent. Since 2013 Matoyana has interacted with over 1000 entrepreneurs though various projects and initiatives. We provide personalized support which is tailored to meet our client’s business needs.
